The ecosystem approach in ecological impact assessment: Lessons learned from windfarm developments on peatlands in Scotland

Abstract

The Ecosystem Approach introduced in 1994 through the Convention on Biological Diversity, together with related Ecosystem-based Management and Landscape Approaches are frequently called upon to improve ecological impact assessment. Current practice typically does not have such a systems focus and we explore the potential for explicitly adopting an Ecosystem Approach in the Environmental Impact Assessment process using wind energy development on peatland, in Scotland, as a case study. Based on a review of 21 windfarm projects (>50MW) approved by the Scottish Government we provide an overview of current practice and identify and discuss how the 12 principles of the Ecosystem Approach can help identify options for more appropriate impact assessment. These include defining functional units of analysis that reflect the spatial and temporal linkages of peatland elements through hydrological connections, rather than a focus on individual vegetation types and simple distance buffers. Our conclusions are not limited to peatland and are relevant wherever meaningful functional management units can be defined, including in marine environments. Our results also show that environmental statements for wind energy development in Scotland largely ignore ecosystem services and the people that benefit from them. As for threatened species and other biodiversity features, an Ecosystem Approach is a prerequisite to the meaningful inclusion of ecosystem services in impact assessment.

Navigating pluralism: Understanding perceptions of the ecosystem services concept

“…(Hauck et al, 667 2015). Equipping public bodies with the necessary skills requires significant investment as 668 environmental impact assessments and policy appraisals are currently not necessarily 669 conducted by teams of researchers with interdisciplinary skills (Rozas-Vásquez et al, 2018;670 Turnpenny et al, 2014;Wawrzyczek et al, 2018). It is in this context that it becomes crucial 671 to retain a diverse, reflexive community of practice outside of any specific attempt to 672 institutionalise the concept; as discussed above.…”

Geo‐hydromorphological assessment of Europe's southernmost blanket bogs

“…Morphological change as a result of peat extraction and grazing is significant in the long term, yet far greater and more rapid change has occurred as a result of windfarm construction. Although the installation of individual turbines over blanket bog often results in the extraction of peat in isolated locations, the associated infrastructure of tracks and electrical cable conduits has wider impact not only on the hydrology, but also on peatland geomorphology (Heras and Infante, 2008;Wawrzyczek et al, 2018). Of the 10 blanket bogs identified in this study, three have wind turbines or infrastructure adjacent to, or inside, the main body of peatland.…”

“…The most significant change as a consequence of track construction is at Malverde, where significant amounts of peat were removed to enable track installation, and the track appears to have divided a large spur mesotope into a spur and valleyside mesotope (Figure 9). In addition, drainage installed along the sides of the track will continue to impact on the hydrology at the edges of these two new mesotopes (Grace et al, 2013;Wawrzyczek et al, 2018).…”

“…Commercial peat extraction is still undertaken in Galicia from some of the best (and protected) examples of Spanish blanket bog. Peat is also extracted and removed to create the foundations for wind turbines, but the infrastructure of tracks associated with windfarms that cross blanket bog units also adversely impacts hydrologic functions by dividing hydrological mesotope units (Wawrzyczek et al, 2018) and altering the endemic peat-forming vegetation (Fraga et al, 2008). Loss of peat as a result of track construction and associated drainage (Lindsay, 2016c) may also be significant for the small edge-of-range blanket bogs in the Cantabrian Mountains (Chico et al, 2019a).…”

The action is where the social is! The ecosystem services concept and other ideas for enhancing stakeholder engagement in integrated mine closure planning

“…The ecosystem services concept which came to international prominence in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment [MEA] 2005) is an integrated one that brings together environmental and social values. It has been employed extensively in recent years within EIA (Rosa & Sánchez 2015;Slootweg 2015;Geneletti 2016;Hansen et al 2018;Wawrzyczek et al 2018) with Geneletti (2011) considering it as "instrumental to the development of integrated approaches to assess the sustainability of proposed plans". Rosa & Sánchez (2016) note that one important potential contribution of ecosystem services to EIA practice is in "providing for more effective engagement of affected stakeholders".…”